General Information
Experience the stark poetry of winter in northern Japan alongside pro photographers Thomas Heaton and Jonas Paurell. On this immersive journey through Hokkaido, you’ll explore a landscape stripped to its essentials—where snowbound hills, isolated trees, and quiet coastal shrines evoke a deep sense of stillness and space.
This workshop is a gift to yourself. It features single occupancy for all guests and good accommodation at each location. It has private transportation offering plenty of space for everyone, exceptional meals, and unforgettable photography. We’ve held nothing back in creating the best possible experience.
Hokkaido in winter is a study in restraint. Its subdued tones and open vistas provide the perfect canvas for minimalistic landscape photography. From frozen lakes to weathered fishing villages, from icy coastlines to lone trees—every scene feels distilled, deliberate, and deeply atmospheric.
With guidance from Thomas Heaton and Terra’s own Jonas Paurell, you’ll refine your eye for composition, learn to navigate the challenges of snow and shadow, and develop a visual language grounded in simplicity.
This workshop isn’t just about making beautiful photographs. It’s about slowing down, connecting with the landscape, and sharpening your creative instincts. By the end of the trip, you’ll leave not only with a portfolio of striking images, but also with new skills, fresh perspective, and lasting impressions of Hokkaido’s quiet magic.
Guides
Thomas Heaton
Creative Guide
Thomas Heaton is a landscape and nature photographer based in the UK. Thomas is best known for documenting his in-field work on his YouTube channel, which has amassed over half a million followers.
He has an adventurous and authentic approach to video and photography, and he has recently been awarded Content Creator of the year 2025 by Amateur Photographer Magazine, a large and well-respected photography publication that has been around for well over 100 years.
Thomas travels far and wide with his camera, exploring remote corners of the earth from Svalbard to Mongolia, however Thomas is equally satisfied with shooting his local beach. His goal in life is simple; explore, create & inspire others to do the same.
More information here.
Jonas Paurell
Creative Guide & Expedition Leader
Jonas is the founder of Terra Photography Expeditions. He has been a photographer for well over 20 years. He is a certified International Mountain Leader (UIMLA) that has spent a lifetime exploring the world's wild areas. Jonas will be leading the expedition.
Jonas loves working with developing photographers to strengthen their technical foundation and support them to unleach their inner creativity. Jonas achieves this through engaging lectures, educative assignments and hands-on teaching in the field.
Itinerary
Day 1 | Arrival Day | Jan 11, 2026
Our journey begins at Asahikawa Airport, with pick-up scheduled for 12 PM and a direct transfer to our first destination: Biei. After checking in at the hotel and a brief orientation, we’ll head straight out for our first photography session. After the shoot, we’ll gather for dinner to mark the start of our adventure.
Days 2 - 4 | Biei
Over the next couple of days, we’ll dive into the quiet heart of Hokkaido, exploring the minimalist beauty that defines Biei. The landscape here is subtle and striking: undulating white fields, rows of slender birch trees, frozen waterways, and distant dark peaks. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, to observe, and to compose with care—ideal for creating thoughtful, intimate photographs.
We’ll spend our time roaming this quiet agricultural region, seeking out clean, minimal scenes. If conditions are right, we may catch alpenglow lighting up the mountains at dusk. We will also visit nearby waterfalls where icy blue water cuts through snow-covered rock. Between shoots, there will be time set aside for image reviews and discussions on composition, technique, and visual storytelling.
Day 5 - 6 | Lake Kussharo
We continue our journey to the ethereal landscapes surrounding Lake Kussharo, a region where vast, sweeping views meet quiet, minimalist details. Here, a wide, ice-edged lake stretches beneath snow-capped mountains, creating scenes that are both grand and restrained.
Bold blues shimmer against the stark whiteness of snow, while nearby, more intimate moments reveal themselves—frost-laced trees, silent forest clearings, and the elegant simplicity of winter’s palette. This area is also home to the graceful whooper swans, often found gathered in the lake’s warm geothermal shallows. With camera in hand, we’ll explore both the scale and subtlety of this extraordinary place.
Day 7 | Saroma
Saroma is a wind-battered corner of northeastern Hokkaido facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Here, the lake and sea meet beneath an icebound sky. Trees hunch under the weight of wind. Snow dunes shift like desert sands. The air tastes of salt and frost. Our focus here will be on coastal solitude, fishing ports, and grand scenes.
Day 8 | Departure Day | Jan 18, 2026
After a final breakfast we transfer to Memanbetsu Airport, where our tour concludes, and we say our goodbyes. Drop-off at the airport is approx. 12 PM.
Curriculum
All Terra Photography Expeditions follow a proven curriculum that aims to teach the theory behind photography in a dynamic way that directly translates into easily actionable processes in the field. As we move through nature we also go through an introduction to the skills and knowledge required to be safe in the great outdoors.
Photography Techniques Covered on the Expedition
Storytelling - Telling stories and evoking emotions within the context of landscape photography
Composition - A comprehensive introduction to the theory of composition, including the elements of art and principles of design
Process - Learning and implementing a process to achieve consistent quality in landscape photography
Focusing - A science-based method for focusing to make your images sharp
Long exposure and filters - Long exposure and the use of Neutral Density (ND) filters, especially related to moving water and clouds
Panorama photography - exposing and merging multiple images
Multiple exposures - Achieving correctly exposed images in challenging conditions using multiple exposures (exposure bracketing)
Finding locations - Using maps, weather services and other tools to identify potential photography locations and times.
Processing Techniques:
Using Lightroom to apply contrast
Using local adjustments to shape and sculpt the light
Using luminosity masks in Lightroom
Different techniques for blending multiple exposures of the same image
Stitching multiple panoramas together
Sharpening images
Accommodation
Private Room for Each Guest
At each location, we stay in a carefully selected mix of Japanese and Western-style hotels. We use the best available accommodations—single occupancy is standard, with spacious private transport, exceptional meals, and unforgettable photography opportunities. We’ve spared no effort in crafting the ultimate Japanese experience.
Many of the hotels offer access to traditional hot springs (onsens), perfect for unwinding after a full day of exploration.
If you'd prefer to share a room with your partner, just let us know. Otherwise, you'll automatically be booked in a private single room.
Additional Information
The Agenda and the Weather
The winter weather on the Hokkaido island is snowy and unpredictable. Just the way we like it! Some areas of Hokkaido get 600cm (19 feet 8 inches) of snowfall annually. While there's a chance we might need to adjust our plans if we get snowed in at the hotel, we will see it as an opportunity for unexpected adventures. After all, those same weather fronts are what make Hokkaido unique. Each day we will study the charts and the local weather conditions to plan our day. So, pack your gear, and get ready for an unforgettable expedition!
Food
Our hotels feature delicious meals tailored to diverse palates based on Japanese Cuisine. Please let us know if you have any food preferences, allergies, or dietary restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. All breakfasts and dinners are included.
Getting There and Back Out Again
The tour begins at Asahikawa Airport, which is commonly accessed via connecting flights through Tokyo or Osaka. It concludes at Memanbetsu Airport, with return connections typically available through Tokyo and Osaka.
Leave No Trace Policy
Terra Photography Expeditions has a strict leave no trace policy. This policy is also applied to how we share information about places that we gently and respectfully visit. This means that we have withheld exact locations from the itinerary. This is because we do not want to contribute to large scale tourism. You are welcome to get in touch if you'd like to discuss the itinerary before applying to join. Thank you for your understanding.
How Challenging?
This expedition has a Lowland Workshop effort level.
Our Lowland Workshops are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of participants. Most of our locations are situated along roadsides or can be reached by walking a few kilometers on well-maintained trails. For winter workshops the conditions can sometimes be snowy and on not maintaned paths.
Price & Details
Included:
Guided photography sessions in the field with two creative guides
Theoretical sessions
All accommodation during the expedition: 7 nights in a private room (unless you request to share with your partner)
Breakfasts and Dinners on all days (except the first day where we start with dinner and the last day where we say our good bye after breakfast)
All transport during the tour
Excluded:
Photo equipment
Outdoor clothing
Transport to the starting point (i.e. flights to the pick-up airport)
Insurance. All participants are required to have their insurance appropriate for this expedition, such as health, accident, repatriation, cancellation, personal liability, etc.
Lunches, trail snacks to eat on the go, and alcoholic beverages
Price: 9495 US$ - 300 US$ discount per person if sharing with a friend or partner, Including VAT.
To secure your reservation, full payment is required at the time of booking. Due to the Japanese Yen rapidly appreciating against the US Dollar, we’ve adopted a full-payment model for this tour. This protects you from potential price increases between our traditional deposit and final payment schedule. By locking in the foreign exchange rate now, we avoid any currency risk and can maintain a fair price.
This means that for this tour our Terms and Conditions are altered in regards to cancellations:
Your payment is fully refundable until the tour is officially confirmed.
After confirmation, 50% of the payment is refundable up to 180 days before the tour start date.
From 180 to 90 days before the start, 30% is refundable.
No refunds can be given within 90 days of the tour start date.
We strongly recommend that all travelers purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes coverage for cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances.
Participants: Minimum 7 - Maximum 10
Start: Asahikawa Airport, Jan 11, 2026, 12 PM pick-up at the airport
End: Memanbetsu Airport, Jan 18, 2026, 12 PM drop-off at the airport
Status: Pending!
Tour Operator: Terra Expeditions LLC
We reserve the right to change the itinerary without previous notice due to weather conditions, and unforeseeable circumstances.
This tour is governed by the Terms and Conditions